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A conference on <>.

A two day conference was held on July 14 and 15 in London, <>

The Conference discussed the situation of the Negro in Africa, America and the West Indies. The delegate to the conference represented in the main, The League of Coloured Peoples, the Anti-Imperialist League, The Negro Welfare Association, the Bus Workers Rank and File Movement, a number of student groups, some missionaries, etc.

The Conference was extremely small, with an average attendance of about 30 people.

The discussion on various items on the program clearly revealed the difference in the class position of the participants. On the one side were those, representing chiefly the League of Coloured Peoples, the Society of Friends, the Missionaries, and the white <> of the Negro, who, while advocating some alleviation in the oppression of the Negroes, were definitely opposed to any idea of independence of colonies from British rule. There were those white <> who, like the Imperialists, advocated segregation of the natives, on the grounds that it is the <> way they can develop their own culture and economy.

There were also those black Britons, like Dr Moody, President of the League of Coloured Peoples, who advocated a curiously confused and contradictory program of <> on the one hand and inter - racial cooperation on the other. But in the main these elements had one program in common, that is, no struggle of the Negroes to smash the system of oppression, no independence from British slave rule.

Those representing the Anti - Imperialist League and other working-class organisations and their supporters, showed clearly the clas character of present day society and presented a program of anti - imperialist struggle for the complete freedom and national independence of the colonial masses as the only way out of capital exploitation and slavery.

Two resolutions were adopted by the Conference, one, a special resolution presented by the Negro Welfare Association.

In the next issue of the Negro worker an analysis of the program of the Conference will be made and the resolutions printed.

OUR LETTER BOX

The Native Revolt in Togoland.

BY NANDI NOLIWE.
LOME.

The French mandated territory of Togoland is one of the most hard hit by the world economic crisis. All privileges which had been formerly granted to the native officials have since been suppressed; the cutting down of salaries on a mass scale, the tremendous increase in taxation which has been going on since 1930 along with a catastrophic drop in the price of raw materials; the introduction of a new taxation system on native medical assistance; 6.000 unemployed out of the total population of 750.000 - all this contributed to create in the country an atmosphere of general and bitter discontent on the part of the natives.

However, despite this growing discontent, the French administration went as far as to levy new taxes. First, a general increase in taxation was decided - the poll tax was raised from 40 tot 50 francs for the lowest category, and from 128 tot 318 fr., for the highest one.

A new tax was also decided on the native merchant - woman, and this was the last drop into the already over - filled cup.

One must not forget that when France took the mandate over Togoland it was decided that:

The whole population got alarmed when it was decided to tax women also. The <> met and decided to circulate a petition list and sent it to the Minister for the Colonies, to protest against such as burden of taxation.

Two of them were arrested and put in jail. It was then that the population, wild at this last provocation, organised a demonstration. On the afternoon of January 24th, 1933, women, children and unemployed came out into the streets. Despite the police forces they went right into the Administration buildings of Lomé and even as far as the gates of the Palace of the Commissar of the Republic, asking for the immediate release of the two imprisoned men. The General Secretary of Finance of Togo - Mr. de Saint - Alary - declared then that they <>! But in spite of all and under the pressure of the crowd thus gathered, the administration was forced to order that the two constables be released.